HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS ENTERPRISE A FRAMEWORK FOR DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT AMBITIOUS FOR TOURISM CAITHNESS AND NORTH SUTHERLAND Full Report – Volume II (Research Document) (April 2011) TOURISM RESOURCES COMPANY Management Consultancy and Research Services In Association with EKOS 2 LA BELLE PLACE, GLASGOW G3 7LH Tel: 0141-353 1143 Fax: 0141-353 2560 Email: [email protected] www.tourism-resources.co.uk Management Consultancy and Research Services 2 LA BELLE PLACE, GLASGOW G3 7LH Tel: 0141-353 1143 Fax: 0141-353 2560 Email: [email protected] www.tourism-resources.co.uk Ms Rachel Skene Head of Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland Highlands and Islands Enterprise Tollemache House THURSO KW14 8AZ 18th April 2011 Dear Ms Skene AMBITIOUS FOR TOURISM CAITHNESS AND NORTH SUTHERLAND We have pleasure in presenting Volume II of our report into the opportunities for tourism in Caithness and North Sutherland. This report is in response to our proposals (Ref: P1557) submitted to you in October 2010. Regards Yours sincerely (For and on behalf of Tourism Resources Company) Sandy Steven Director Ref: AJS/IM/0828-FR1 Vol II Tourism Resources Company Ltd Reg. Office: 2 La Belle Place, Glasgow G3 7LH Registered in Scotland No. 132927 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 AMBITIOUS FOR TOURISM CAITHNESS AND NORTH SUTHERLAND – VOLUME II APPENDICES I Audit of Tourism Infrastructure Products / Services and Facilities by Type Electronic Database Supplied Separately II Other Material Referenced / Bibliography III Overview of Accommodation Demand IV Population Data Zones V VisitScotland Market Segmentation VI Summary Conclusions from Roadshow Workshops of Next Steps VII Area Maps of Tourism Attractors VIII Examples of Photo Library from Field Trip (Electronic File Supplied Separately) IX Settlement Overviews X Development Event and Roadshow Attendee Profiles and Development Event and Roadshow Notes (Front Cover Picture Courtesy of David Bullough of TRC – Dunnet Head Lighthouse) Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 APPENDIX I AUDIT OF TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS / SERVICES AND FACILITIES BY TYPE Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 Services / Product Overview – Visual Presentation of Data The tables and maps overleaf present a summary profile of the facilities and services available in each part of the study area. (The serviced accommodation sector is presented separately from the non-serviced). The audit of infrastructure and services provides a detailed breakdown and backdrop to the offering in each of the four settlement foci in the study area. 1 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 OVERVIEW OF STUDY AREA 2 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 TOURISM ACCOMMODATION – BUSINESSES BY ZONE John Tongue / Total No of Helmsdale / Thurso Category O’Groats / Bettyhill / Units Latheron Focus Wick Melvich Serviced Accommodation Hotel 26 4 9 11 2 Small Hotel 8 4 1 3 Inn 3 1 2 B&B 106 21 49 25 11 Guest House 12 1 5 3 3 Serviced Accommodation Sub- 155 26 67 41 21 Total Non-Serviced Accommodation Exclusive Use 6 4 1 1 Self-Catering 96 18 48 18 12 Hostel 5 1 1 1 2 Non-Serviced Accommodation Sub- 107 23 50 19 15 Total Caravan 13 1 7 2 3 Overall Total of Tourism Accommodation 275 50 124 62 39 Businesses Note: The above categories are those adopted by VisitScotland – for full descriptions see www.visitscotland.com/quality-assurance/accommodation-types. The above table provides detail of the number of tourist accommodation businesses across the four settlement foci. As can be seen the John O’Groats / Wick focus provides the greatest concentration of both serviced and non-serviced operators. TOURISM ACCOMMODATION – ROOMS CAPACITY BY ZONE Total John Tongue / Helmsdale / Thurso Category No of O’Groats / Bettyhill / Latheron Focus Rooms Wick Melvich Serviced Accommodation Hotel 534 43 161 308 22 Small Hotel 100 37 21 42 Inn 14 7 7 B&B 271 46 128 67 30 Guest House 63 3 22 27 11 Serviced Accommodation 982 92 348 430 112 Sub-Total Non-Serviced Accommodation Exclusive Use 55 18 25 12 Self-Catering 221 36 116 43 26 Hostel N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Non-Serviced 276 54 141 43 38 Accommodation Sub- Total Caravan (Pitches) 123 24 20 30 49 Overall Total of Tourism 1,381 170 509 503 199 Accommodation Rooms 3 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 The previous table provides detail of the number of tourist accommodation rooms across the four settlement foci. The table highlights that the Thurso focus with a smaller number of accommodation businesses offer almost the same number of serviced rooms as John O’Groats / Wick focus suggesting that in the Thurso focus properties / businesses are larger. The table below provides information on the number of available tourist bed spaces (sleeper capacity) across the four settlement foci. The table again highlights that the Thurso focus has more serviced bed spaces than the John O’Groats / Wick focus and John O’Groats a much higher level of bed spaces within the non-serviced sector. TOURISM ACCOMMODATION – BED SPACE (SLEEPER) CAPACITY BY ZONE Total No John Tongue / Helmsdale / Thurso Category of Bed O’Groats / Bettyhill / Latheron Focus Spaces Wick Melvich Serviced Accommodation Hotel 1047 90 318 599 40 Small Hotel 223 91 45 87 Inn 29 13 16 B&B 584 101 280 140 63 Guest House 145 7 48 65 25 Serviced 2,028 198 737 862 231 Accommodation Sub- Total Non-Serviced Accommodation Exclusive Use 106 34 48 24 Self-Catering 437 71 232 87 47 Hostel 123 24 20 30 49 Non-Serviced 666 129 300 117 120 Accommodation Sub- Total Caravan (2.5 Sleepers 1,295 37.5 627.5 355 275 per pitch) Overall Total of 3,989 364.5 1,664.5 1,334 626 Tourism Accommodation Bed Spaces The pie charts overleaf provide visual representation of the room mix in each of the settlement foci. In the remainder of this section we present maps that provide visual representation of the dispersal of the various tourism products across the CNS area. 4 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 ROOM MIX IN EACH LOCATION Helmsdale John O'Groats / Latheron / Wick Self-Catering, Self-Catering, 36 Hotel, 43 116 Hotel, 161 Exclusive Use, 25 Exclusive Use, Small Hotel, 0 18 Inn, 0 Guest House, 22 Small Hotel, 37 B&B, 46 Guest House, 3 B&B, 128 Inn, 0 Tongue / Bettyhill / Thurso Exclusive Use, 0 Self- Melvich Catering, Hotel, 22 Guest House, 43 27 Self-Catering, 26 B&B, 67 Exclusive Use, 12 Guest House, Small Hotel, 42 11 Inn, 7 Hotel, 308 Small Hotel, 21 B&B, 30 Inn, 7 5 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICED ACCOMMODATION TYPES KEY Hotel Small Hotel B&B/GH Inn 6 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 DISTRIBUTION OF NON-SERVICED ACCOMMODATION KEY Self Catering Exclusive Use Hostel Caravan 7 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 DISTRIBUTION OF ATTRACTORS / ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA KEY Activity Attraction Feature Fishing Sport 8 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 KEY TOURISM ATTRACTORS BY ZONE John Tongue / Helmsdale / Thurso Category Total O’Groats / Bettyhill / Latheron Focus Wick Melvich Activity 21 1 13 7 Attraction (I) 53 9 33 8 3 Feature (2) 24 4 8 1 11 Fishing 8 1 2 4 1 Sport & 12 1 5 5 1 Recreation (3) Total 118 16 61 25 16 Attractors Notes: Classifications are those assumed by TRC for the purpose of this audit. The actual content of each locale are highlighted in Appendix I and are in outline: (1) Mainly built visitor facilities, attractions and museums, etc. (2) Natural features, etc including viewpoints, etc. (3) Sports including Recreation centres, swimming pools, tennis, football, etc. 9 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Volume II Tourism Resources Company Ambitious for Tourism Caithness and North Sutherland April 2011 ACCOMMODATION LISTING FROM AUDIT DATABASE Zone Designator Property Name Settlement Post Code No Total Total Grade Category of Rooms Sleepers 2010 Units 1 Hotel Navidale Hotel Helmsdale KW8 6JS 1 10 20 1 Hotel Belgrave Arms Hotel Helmsdale KW8 6JX 1 7 17 1 Hotel Bridge Hotel Helmsdale KW8 6JA 1 18 38 1 Hotel Garvault Hotel Kinbrace KW11 6UE 1 8 15 1 B&B Mulberry Croft Berriedale KW7 6HA 1 2 4 1 B&B Tormore Farm Dunbeath KW6 6EH 1 3 8 2 Star 1 B&B Braemore Bed Dunbeath KW6 6EB 1 2 4 Breakfast 1 B&B Inver Caravan Park Dunbeath KW6 6EH 1 3 8 B&B (Inver Park House) 1 B&B Torbuie B&B Helmsdale KW8 6JS 1 2 6 1 B&B La Mirage B&B Helmsdale KW8 6JA 1 2 4 1 B&B Kintyre B&B Helmsdale KW8 6JD 1 3 6 1 B&B Kindale House B&B Helmsdale KW8 6JF 1 3 8 4 Star 1 B&B Broomhill House B&B Helmsdale KW8 6JS 1 2 4 3 Star 1 B&B Kerloch B&B Helmsdale KW8 6JX 1 3 5 1 B&B Heathcote B&B Helmsdale KW8 6JW 1 2 4 1 B&B Customs House B&B Helmsdale KW8 6JZ 1 3 6 1 B&B